Numerous designs for yarn shipping or transport racks have been provided where a skeletal structure is provided with a plurality of package receiving pins protruding therefrom. Normally speaking, the trunk, transport, dolly or the like is provided with wheels secured at a lower end thereof, and may or may not be provided with a super structure above the package receiving area to suspend the racks from a conveyor for transportation throughout the plant in which the rack is being employed.
In general, a majority of yarn racks as mentioned above are designed for use within the plant only. Consequently, yarn shipped from one plant to another previously was removed from the storage racks, packaged for shipment in corrugated paper containers or the like, shipped to its destination and replaced onto racks, creels, or the like. Such schemes for transportation of yarn packages are fraught with problems. For example, additional handling of the packages leads to a greater probability of damage to the yarn. Likewise, the yarn can be damaged due to lack of strength of the containers, water damage to the container or the like. Still further, corrugated shipping containers are generally an expendible item of commerce such that overall costs are greater as compared to the yarn transportation system of the present invention.
The present invention provides an improved procedure for transportation of yarn packages that avoids or at least minimizes the prior art problems alluded to above. Likewise, an improved rack system per se is also an integral part of the present invention.
Known prior art is devoid of any teaching or suggestion of the subject matter of the present invention. Exemplary of the known prior art are U.S. Pat. No. 2,015,548 to Carter; U.S. Pat. No. 2,127,999 to Johnson; U.S. Pat. No. 2,475,724 to Shipman; U.S. Pat. No. 2,555,529 to Batts; U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,276 to Skufca; U.S. Pat. No. 3,388,806 to Cunningham, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,141 to Cunningham, Jr. et. al.; U.S. Pat. No. 3,586,178 to Zurheide et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 3,674,223 to Phillip.